Comments:
impulse buy
here is my new 5140...a rather impulsive buy on my part. popped into a boutique to look at a Type XX, then everything went all out of control. I found myself going from the XX to 5920 and 5930 (too small for my liking) to 5157. i decided i needed to leave the shop and shot up to the PP store, but they didn't have what I was looking for, so I popped back down to the breguet boutique, where i was eyeing the 5187, 5207 and 5177, but I had to put a cap on my spending, otherwise, I would have been shot by my wife. the dealer didn't have the 5140 on display at the time, so I never saw it. He brought it out and the enamel dial and painted numerals just appealed to me over the engine turned dial. they didn't have the 5177 in enamel otherwise, i might have gotten it over the 5140, but then again, i had to set a price limit. considering i bought a deployant, i guess my price limit was shot, though. at any rate, i really like the 5140 although it doesn't have a case back. i did have a question about the serial number though. mine is a three digit with a letter, and the dealer was saying something about the serial numbers being 4 digits normally. any comment on it having three digits plus a letter (737 Z) and why they would use a letter vice leaving it out? are there like 25 other 737 serial numbered watches out there. thanks.
Breguet Serial Numbers
Hi ,
Congratulations on your new 5140...very elegant.
To answer your question it seems the simple answer is 'Yes' there are 20 plus watches with the serial No. 737, but they are not necessarily 5140's.
I have been researching for 2 months now on which Breguet to buy, and the Serial No. question came up in my mind also.
Congratulations on your new 5140...very elegant.
To answer your question it seems the simple answer is 'Yes' there are 20 plus watches with the serial No. 737, but they are not necessarily 5140's.
I have been researching for 2 months now on which Breguet to buy, and the Serial No. question came up in my mind also.
There is plenty on this site re Breguet numbering system and it seems that the simple answer according to the posts here are that;
Breguet follow a procedure to number their watches in a sequence from 250 to 5500 followed by a letter.
The numbers are applied to the overall production rather than a model type so that your 5140 might be 737Z and the next watch might be Serial number 738Z but it is a Model 5177 or Model 3130 or whatever.
The reason given that this is done this way is because A Breguet numbered his first watch as 250 and watches in earlier times went up to Serial No. 5,500 at which time the sequence started over again with a letter following the number.
It seems that some owners of the Breguet company ignored thois system for a short while and there are some watches numbered up into the 9,000, but then Breguet reverted back to the current system.
This system allows a max of 4 digits, which suit the brand habit of displaying the serial number on the silver engraved face, and when you turn the watch over you will find the same number on the back with a letter.
Hope that helps. Enjoy your Breguet 5140.
I made my decision this morningon which Breguet to buy, and just returned from sending the money, but as my AD is 3,000 kms away I have to wait a couple of days....it will be a long two days.
Reagrds,
Jack
re: serials
Thanks Jack. in my exuberance I didn't do a search. after I had posted, i did a search and found the info that you provided. unfortunately, as I'm new to this forum, i didn't see an edit feature to cut that portion out. which model did you choose?
Not a Problem. I am also new, but I have been reading
the site for a couple of months. There is some good and experienced knowledgable comment here.
To anser your question; I bought the 5707 in yellow gold, but I do not think I could say I chose it, although I think it is the Breguet that I wanted.
I started looking at the 5177 Enamal just like like yours, but where I live stock is limited. I then went through the Breguet Catalogue and the Breguet internet site and then decided on the 5177 in Silvered Gold dail...also no stock.
I originally wanted a fine watch which had a clean face and was elegant and Swiss. ( My wife is Swiss, I am not, but if I spend money on a Swiss watch it is patriotic...if I spend money on anything else it is wastfull.)
I looked at all models and decided on three watches that would form part of my final decision. Luckly, at the time, the AD's in my country had stock of them.
The 5707 & 3137 in Yellow gold and I thought the 5817 so I weighed up the pros and cons and decided to get my AD to bring from their other branches, these three watches so I could look and finally decide.
I wanted something simple and elegant like the 5177...the 5817 was still simple and very atractive but a little 'strong 'to be called Elegant and as most of my watches are 'strong' and noticable, I wanted something that was a real watch. Just like the 5177.
I was undecided, then I realised that the 5187 has Blue Roman numerals on it and while that looks great on white gold I dont like colour with Yellow gold...so that dropped to last on my list.
When the big day came and I called my AD to ask him to arrange the stock for inspection, I was informed that they had all sold throughout the whole country and I could order any one but it would be a couple of months before new stock was available if I wanted to see, hold and feel.
Disapointed to say the least. After going through the process of assesment and then finding that nothing was available to look at and feel and buy...very disapointed.
I contacted other AD's in my country and found a 5707 in yellow gold, in a city 3,000 kms away and so after a week of, should I fly down and look and feel, or should I wait ,or should I just pull the trigger and buy.....I sent the money today and should get it on Wednesday.
So which one did I choose.....I had no choice.
Which one did I get.....I think I got the one that I really, really, felt obsessed to have.
Is it simple, clean and elegant ?.......Not simple! A little too complicated to be called 'Clean' but might be called 'Clear', and as for 'Elegant' .......well I will have to think about that.
The important thing is that it is a Breguet and it is Swiss......and that while you could buy a good car for the same money as most Breguets, they are a watch that have a substantial component of skilled manual labour in their manufacture and this is something that is disapearing faster than most people realize.
The cost of a car today...the cost of two cars tomorrow and in 10 or 15 years they like all fine products that rely on manual input will be a memory...... or a punched out representation relying on their heritage.
An associate of mine has a very upmarket new and secondhand watch and jewelery business in the US and he often adds the commment when advertising a Breguet. "This is possibly one of the finest watches from one of the finest watch makers in history and it is a lifetime investment".......then he adds "Of course, very few will know what you're wearing."
I think that is the good thing about Breguet.
You know and I know and most people dont know. How lucky are we?
Reagrds
Jack.
To anser your question; I bought the 5707 in yellow gold, but I do not think I could say I chose it, although I think it is the Breguet that I wanted.
I started looking at the 5177 Enamal just like like yours, but where I live stock is limited. I then went through the Breguet Catalogue and the Breguet internet site and then decided on the 5177 in Silvered Gold dail...also no stock.
I originally wanted a fine watch which had a clean face and was elegant and Swiss. ( My wife is Swiss, I am not, but if I spend money on a Swiss watch it is patriotic...if I spend money on anything else it is wastfull.)
I looked at all models and decided on three watches that would form part of my final decision. Luckly, at the time, the AD's in my country had stock of them.
The 5707 & 3137 in Yellow gold and I thought the 5817 so I weighed up the pros and cons and decided to get my AD to bring from their other branches, these three watches so I could look and finally decide.
I wanted something simple and elegant like the 5177...the 5817 was still simple and very atractive but a little 'strong 'to be called Elegant and as most of my watches are 'strong' and noticable, I wanted something that was a real watch. Just like the 5177.
I was undecided, then I realised that the 5187 has Blue Roman numerals on it and while that looks great on white gold I dont like colour with Yellow gold...so that dropped to last on my list.
When the big day came and I called my AD to ask him to arrange the stock for inspection, I was informed that they had all sold throughout the whole country and I could order any one but it would be a couple of months before new stock was available if I wanted to see, hold and feel.
Disapointed to say the least. After going through the process of assesment and then finding that nothing was available to look at and feel and buy...very disapointed.
I contacted other AD's in my country and found a 5707 in yellow gold, in a city 3,000 kms away and so after a week of, should I fly down and look and feel, or should I wait ,or should I just pull the trigger and buy.....I sent the money today and should get it on Wednesday.
So which one did I choose.....I had no choice.
Which one did I get.....I think I got the one that I really, really, felt obsessed to have.
Is it simple, clean and elegant ?.......Not simple! A little too complicated to be called 'Clean' but might be called 'Clear', and as for 'Elegant' .......well I will have to think about that.
The important thing is that it is a Breguet and it is Swiss......and that while you could buy a good car for the same money as most Breguets, they are a watch that have a substantial component of skilled manual labour in their manufacture and this is something that is disapearing faster than most people realize.
The cost of a car today...the cost of two cars tomorrow and in 10 or 15 years they like all fine products that rely on manual input will be a memory...... or a punched out representation relying on their heritage.
An associate of mine has a very upmarket new and secondhand watch and jewelery business in the US and he often adds the commment when advertising a Breguet. "This is possibly one of the finest watches from one of the finest watch makers in history and it is a lifetime investment".......then he adds "Of course, very few will know what you're wearing."
I think that is the good thing about Breguet.
You know and I know and most people dont know. How lucky are we?
Reagrds
Jack.
unfortunately
...for me, well maybe fortunately for me, that the dealer didn't have the 5707. It is the watch I would like most. if he had it, my budget would definitely have been shot and i'd be eating ramen and sleeping on the couch for at least until my wife got something of greater value.